kindly do bluebells sway
by Winterwing3000
Summary: Being alone was painful and there can only be promises. Light Touko x Tsukumo, growing up.


**Disclaimers** on the characters and plot of the series Uragiri wa Boku no Namae wo Shitteiru. They are the sole property of the illustrious Odagiri Hotaru-sensei.

**-.-**

When Murasame Touko was born, the mother immediately knew that her daughter was bound to a life of hardships.

Giou Takashiro-sama approached her first, knowing that she was desperate for a family of her own, and she agreed without hesitation. It was a trying burden, he reminded her, and she and her husband will be handsomely compensated once the child was raised to age. But the thought of a child overwhelmed any sense of monetary tribute. She dreamed of happy days with her child, hoping that perhaps it was a baby who did not struggle in his or her previous incarnation as a Zweilt. Though she willingly chose to bear the reincarnation of a Zweilt, it broke her heart to see that the child was well beyond her years the minute she arrived to the world.

No little baby should have such wizen and yet sad amber eyes. Touko was constantly crying as if there were a burden on her shoulders that she could not be rid of—at least, not on her own. Days were the hardest for her even when the mother held her close, cooing and shushing her. The tears and bawling would not end. Nights were the times when she was quiet. In her sleep, within the depths of her dreams, she smiled and was at peace. The mother could only wonder what figment of a child's imagination could bring such happiness and that the mother's comfort lacked.

But as she grew and learned how to crawl, she was an endless bundle of energy always seeking for something. Baby Touko upturned pots and pans in the kitchen, crawled into nooks and crannies of the closets, and stared out the window and up to the sky. Each time by the window, the mother found her little girl with a pensive gaze and a sad tilt of her lips. She did not cry anymore, but the sadness still lingered in that quietness. One solution the mother thought of was to bring Touko outside and enjoy the blossoming of Spring.

When they were both dressed, Touko stared at the door of their house with wide eyes. As the glass ornamented oak portal opened and the stroller landed on the cement sidewalk of the streets, she started to whimper with tears budding at the corner of her eyes. The mother only brushed it off as insecurity. It was, after all, the first time she was bringing the child out of the house.

Only, it got worse as they progressed further down the street and to the neighborhood park. She screamed and wriggled furiously in the stroller, refusing to be held by the mother. The other children in response began to wail and their parents shot annoyed glances her way. Quickly, the mother fled with the crying Touko and never brought her out to the park again.

Baby Touko remained in the confines of her birth home, always waiting, always seeking—but never finding. Sometimes, when the mother's friend came to visit with her own twin baby boys, Touko smiled and played animatedly with them. She babbled and pointed, crawled and kicked. The moment they left, she reverted to her dismayed self and always watched and waited by the window. And then the mother saw what needed to change.

**-.-**

By the time Touko was six months old and Takashiro-sama arrived once more at her doorstep from her request, the mother prayed that her next child was a boy.

Be it a blessing or a curse, the mother did not know as she gave birth to the Zweilt who would be the other half of her first Zweilt child. Takashiro-sama told her that the second child could possibly be another Zweilt, but he could not confirm the cihld's identity till the month of her due date. Either way, she did know that her Touko-chan would hav someone to protect and play with.

When Murasame Tsukumo was born, Touko was not any smarter than other babies of eighteen months old. She only stared inquisitively with her golden eyes at the wrinkly red sleeping mass of something that looked remotely like the rag doll she occasionally threw around in her playpen. The person who she identified as her father hoisted her under her arms so that she could see this little creature cradled in the bosom of the woman, who she knew as her mother.

It was a curious little thing. It had little to no hair. Its closed eyes, rounded nose, thin lips and high cheeks were bright pink. And it only slept. It didn't make any noise. It shouldn't have interested her in the slightest, yet something kept her staring at it. Something told her it was what she had been waiting, crying and looking for. It was that one-and-only she had been searching for so long. Her fingers itched, her heart tugged. She wanted it. It belonged to her.

Her little hands reached for the bundle but larger hands closed around them and kept her away.

"Touko-san," she heard her father croon in her ear. "Don't touch, just look."

"No!" she declared boldly and struggled to free her fingers. "Mine!"

She was suddenly set on her feet and the bed towered over her. A heavy hand was set on her head. "Behave, Touko-san. Okaa-san needs to rest, as does Tsukumo-san."

"No!" she said louder, stamping her feet. She tried to pull her little body up with her arms onto the edge of the bed. She couldn't see it anymore. An ache started to ebb into her heart and a panic grew in her stomach. "Mine!"

"Touko!" her father said sharply.

"Mine! Mine, mine!" Touko cried, not heeding her father. She tugged harder on the bed sheet.

"It is fine, let Touko-chan on the bed," the mother said tiredly as she finished feeding the newborn. The baby boy yawned and stretched its tiny arms. Her father lifted her by the waist and sat her next to her mother

The mother held a bated breath. During her pregnancy with Tsukumo-kun, Touko-chan was swinging between extreme excitement and extreme moodiness. The mother wondered if her lack of mood swings was because her daughter took them from her. She did not know just what to expect from the young child right now.

Touko sat silently and observantly. The baby, now fed, was dozing at their mother's bosom. Right now up close, he was nearly bald, save for a small patch of silvery hair. He was red in the face and still slightly wrinkled. His eyes, she really wanted to see his eyes. Just as she reached out to pat the little baby's face, her mother gasped and her father instinctively grabbed her fingers between his larger hands.

"No, don't do that Touko-san," her father said with a warning undertone. Touko's lips trembled. She wanted to see his eyes.

"Eyes!" she whimpered as she tried to reach with her other hand. This time, her mother stayed her hand.

"Shh, Touko-chan, be good. Otoutou-kun is sleeping," the mother tried to console. "Let's let him sleep okay? You can play with him tomorrow, okay?"

Touko let out a high pitched whine. "Iie… 'Kumo! Eyes!"

As if hearing his name, the baby shifted in his nap and his face scrunched in unhappiness. Teary golden eyes, same as her own, shifted around the room before staying at the image of Touko.

The little girl could only smile widely as her baby brother wailed.

**-.-**

It was the summer time and Touko turned three. Tsukumo will be turning two in a few more months. And the mother knew that her children were not ordinary siblings, not when they bore the souls of Zweilts.

The laundry was still damp from the wash as Touko helped her mother lift each article of clothing from the basket. Tsukumo waddled around in the small backyard, babbling phrases mixed with coherent words and nonsense to the sparrows that cared to listen and to the butterflies that sought reprieve from his tiny hands.

The mother smiled at Touko as she took each piece and clipped it onto the line.

The house became much more peaceful with the arrival of little Tsukumo. Touko's tears and cries ceased and surprisingly, they were not replaced by Tsukumo. He was a quiet and happy baby and fussed very little. Touko also did her part as the older sibling in playing and indulging her otoutou-kun.

Touko's eyes, the mother noticed, were brighter now and less whimsical. They never strayed far from her otoutou-kun. They were always watching out for him.

Tsukumo's eyes, on the other hand, were soft and gentle. Every time she stared into her baby boy's eyes, she felt calm and worry-free.

"'kumo!" Touko-chan cried suddenly. The mother jolted and panic seized her as she glanced behind her, where Tsukumo was romping.

The silver-haired child had collapsed onto the ground after his tiny little feet became caught by some rocks. The auburn girl flew from the laundry basket to his side as he attempted to push his body up into a sitting position. The mother followed close behind.

When he managed to prop himself to his haunches, Tsukumo blinked blankly up at his mother and sister with his golden orbs. The mother braced herself for his tears of pain, but was surprised when Touko started sniffling instead. Tears were bubbling at the corner of her eyes.

"'kumo!" she hiccupped. She stared sadly at her little brother. His face was smudged with dirt and a scratch colored his left cheek.

The mother frowned and patted her daughter's crown. "Maa, Touko-chan, don't cry. Tsukumo-kun isn't hurt."

Shaking her head, Touko whimpered as her little palms wiped at the teardrops rolling down her plump cheeks. She repeated, "'kumo!"

Tsukumo stared at his sister in wonder, head cocked to the side. The three of them sat there with the summery sun beating down on their heads. The mother didn't know how else she could calm her daughter as she continued to weep. Confusion tore at her as she failed to comprehend Touko's tears.

But then the mother was flabbergasted when Tsukumo suddenly reached his arms out wrapped them around Touko's neck. He tugged her and dropped his head on her shoulder.

The little girl ceased her tears and leaned forward, accommodating his arm length, and threw her own arms around the baby boy. Rubbing his little head against his sister's cheek, Tsukumo sighed, "'Nee!"

The rest of the laundry stayed forgotten as the mother watched her children moved past the incident and began running around the yard with smiles.

**-.-**

When Tsukumo was five, and Touko six, the New Year's celebration was fast approaching. The mother saw that it was Tsukumo who was first to realize that there was something not quite right with who he really was.

He became withdrawn after long days at elementary school and relished the silence of home. His sister was the opposite, as she did not seem to be affected by the active school days. Over the holiday break, when she suggested that they go to the temple to pray for the wellness of the New Year, Tsukumo seemed reluctant but agreed. Touko was nothing short of enthusiastic.

The family of four traveled by train in the family cabin. Many families like theirs were also making a pilgrimage to the various temples around Japan. They rose early before the sun and boarded the train so that they might arrive a few hours before noon.

The first leg of the journey was not too bad. Both children were asleep once they were settled on the train. But once they slept their fill and ate a packed breakfast, there was little to do during the ride. Touko gazed with fascination by the whizzing scenery and constantly cajoled her younger brother to watch with her. He would smile lightly, indulging in his sister's joy, but his lips would downturn when she did not notice.

His hands twitched in his lap and sometimes cradled the back of his neck, as if the muscles were sore. The mother worried her lip and lightly asked if her children needed to use the washroom. Her husband shook his head with a chuckle when Touko declared that she was fine. So she gave a kind smile to her youngest and picked him, though he was already big enough to walk on his own. He did not push away from her embrace and only clung a little tighter to her neck with his head buried in her shoulder.

Once they were in the quiet and secured space, she sat him on the counter of the sink and gently washed his face with a napkin from her jacket.

"What is the matter, Tsu-chan?" she asked patiently, adding the endearment that she knew he preferred when he was ill. He cast his eyes downward, as if ashamed and unsure. She brushed his silvery locks back from his face and smiled. "You can tell Okaa-san, Tsu-chan."

"Okaa-san won't be mad?" he asked in a hushed voice, eyes peering up in hope.

"Of course not," she told him reassuringly. "Okaa-san loves Tsu-chan very much."

He gazed at her, eyes full of trust and continued to speak to her in that low child voice of fear. "I hear people talking. Sometimes, I hear Otou-san when he's not talking. Okaa-san, too. And Nee-san. It's scary, Okaa-san. Sometimes, I hear bad things. I don't like it. It hurts when I hear too much."

She looked hopelessly at her child, unsure of how to help him. A pang of regret filled her as his hopeful eyes continued to stare right at her. Was this what Takashiro-sama meant that it would be trying? How was she to tell this young child that it was a special ability that was a part of the soul of who he once was?

"It's okay," she said hesitatingly. She hugged him lightly, offering the little comfort that she could as a mother. "Okaa-san still loves you, Tsu-chan."

He nodded in her embrace and they made their way back to their seats. This time, he walked next to her with a small hand tucked in her larger ones. She squeezed it and smiled as brightly as she could. "Are you hungry? Let's get Otou-san to share some sweet treats. I'm sure Touko-chan will like it too."

Tsukumo obediently nodded, but she saw that his mood lightened a bit at the mention of the snacks.

Once they were back at their seats and a box of sweet biscuits was opened to share, the two children were happily munching on them together. Touko decided she wanted to share the same seat with her brother and the two shared carefree smiles and hugs for the rest of the train ride.

**-.-**

When Touko was halfway from eight and Tsukumo was already six, Takashiro-sama came by their house followed by a small entourage. The mother knew that the time was near for their parting.

The children were already well aware of their 'special secret' as she and her husband called it. Touko was a slightly more troubled child when realizing that she could hear the pain of others, though at a lesser level compared to her younger brother. She refused to leave her room from fear that her heart would hurt more than it could take. Tsukumo did his best to draw his sister out, sometimes sleeping together with her in the same bed and sometimes, using what the mother coined as the 'ultimate sweet attack', called her 'Nee-san' with hopeful puppy eyes.

Eventually, Touko came out with a small promise—that Tsukumo would call her Touko-chan from now on. She said quietly that it made her feel safe and not alone to hear her name coming from him. Their parents could do little to prevent it as Tsukumo easily agreed.

But the moment the tall and handsome head of the Giou clan arrived at their doorstep, the two backed away immediately. For what reason, none of the adults knew. Their mother persuaded them gently to be polite and to introduce themselves to their distant relative. He was not their uncle by blood, but the ties between the Murasame and Giou were indisputable. The golden eyes came and went between the two clans and it was clearly seen between the adult and the two children.

They both sat together stiffly as Takashiro-sama joined their parents for tea in the living room. Guards were stationed outside in the front and back of the house. The conversation between the adults went smoothly as the children silently listened.

"I see that they are well-behaved children," Takashiro-sama said in a pleasant tone. "I expected nothing less from you Akane-san. You are a wonderful mother."

Their mother Akane responded with a half-smile. "They are wonderful children and I am proud to call them my own, Takashiro-sama. Thank you for blessing me with them. We are truly in your debt."

He shook his head, his glasses glinting. "It should be I who should be thanking you. You and your husband took on a heavy burden of raising them. I am sure that you are aware that now they have understood their powers, it is soon for them to come and stay at the Kamakura estate. It would be best for them to start training soon."

"I," Akane paused, a dimness entering her eyes. "I understand. When will they be leaving, sir?"

"The weekend they finish the school term," Takashiro answered without hesitation. It was clear that the date was final.

At this point, Touko looked at the strange man with curious eyes. "I'm sorry, but where are Tsukumo and I going? Will Okaa-san and Otou-san come too?"

Tsukumo stayed silent but he also regarded Takashiro in hopes for an answer.

The long haired man smiled gently at them. "You and your brother will be coming with me to the main house of Giou in Kamakura. And no, your parents will not be coming with us."

"We're leaving Okaa-san and Otou-san?" Touko seemed aghast at the idea as she suddenly turned her gaze to her parents.

Tsukumo, sensing his sister's distress, reached for her hand and held onto to it. He spoke up this time. "But why?"

The leader of Giou studied them silently for a few moments before granting them with an answer. "Because it is your destiny."

The children were confused but were hushed by their father. Takashiro-sama addressed the parents once more. "I see that they know of their powers, but I suppose that they still have not recollected their past lives. It would be best if they were transferred immediately to Kamakura, so it would be easier for them to start accepting their roles as Zweilts."

Akane looked heartbroken to hear that and gave her children a look of sadness before acquiescing. "Of course, Takashiro-sama. We will have them ready to travel once they finish school."

**-.-**

At their new home in Kamakura, Tsukumo turned eight and Touko was almost ten when Takashiro-sama called them into his office.

They were on summer break and Tsubaki-san was teaching them the history of the Giou and the Taurus of the Setting Sun. The house was oddly cool despite the beating sun and lack of air conditioning. Tsukumo and Toko were diligently drilling their lesson into their minds, though for what reason they were learning it they still don't fully comprehend. They knew that they were here because they had their 'special secret' and that Takashiro-sama was going to help them realize their destiny—whatever that might be.

"Have a seat, you two," Takashiro-sama told them gently. He seemed lightly amused when they pulled themselves to sit in the ornate chairs of his modern office in the traditional home. "I have decided that it is about time to begin your official training. So you will be staying at a new compound and studying martial arts under Master Garan, and two other Masters."

The siblings shared a look and Touko spoke up. "What training do you mean, Takashiro-sama?"

He took out a box from a drawer and opened it. The pair scooted closer in their seat when the box slid toward them. In the cushioned interior of the box sat two silver rings inscribed with roman characters. Takashiro-sama said lowly, "They will be training you to become worthy of these rings."

A moment of silence engulfed the room as the children continued to study the silver bands. A force pulled them toward the rings. It was a hum in their mind, whispering archaic magic to them.

"You may pick them up. The right one is yours, Touko. And the left is yours, Tsukumo," the man said to them, while watching keenly for any reaction.

Once more, young golden eyes met before returning to the box. Simultaneously, they reached for the rings. Touko admired the band and tried to find a finger which it fit. Tsukumo turned it in his fingers and tried to read the letters carved into the metal. Eventually, they both traced the letters most familiar to them.

Their name—Touko and Tsukumo.

Takashiro-sama saw the difference between the siblings as they each began to regain their past memories. Touko's golden eyes widened and pupils dilated as the rush of memories entered her conscience. Tsukumo kept his head ducked but had his hands up by his temples, where his fingers twitched occasionally.

A void filled the room for mere seconds that felt like an eternity to them. The static crashed back into the reality, leaving the Zweilt siblings panting and gasping from the torrent of colors.

"Have you remembered the reason of your existence?" Takashiro-sama finally asked.

The children looked at him, a new glimmer in their eyes. "Yes, Takashiro-sama."

"Very good," he said with a small smile. "The rings will stay with me until you return from your training. But I am glad to see that you remember."

Touko and Tsukumo carefully set the rings back in their place and excused themselves.

Once outside of the office, they exchanged a glance—one filled with all that was left unspoken in the past—and they parted, leaving in separate directions.

**-.-**

Touko was thirteen for two days and Tsukumo was halfway through eleven when they completed their training and were sent on their first mission. They accompanied Takashiro-sama and another necromancer in training—Shinmei Masamune—to Kyoto, where a Grimoire was reported to have surfaced.

The evening before was when they decided to exchange their rings.

Takashiro-sama handed the box to them this time with a knowing smile and walked away. The two siblings were left on their own, on the veranda looking out to the west garden. The box sat between them.

"Ne, Tsukumo?" Touko started hesitantly, very unlike herself when with her younger brother.

His golden eyes wandered from the scenery to his older sister. "What is it, Touko-chan?"

"I'm sorry," she blurted. "I shouldn't have walked away from you that time."

Tsukumo's brows furrowed as he tried to recall such an event. Touko noticed his confusion and clarified, "When Takashiro-sama first showed us the rings and we remembered parts of our past. I was really scared and I needed the time alone."

He only smiled lightly. "It is okay, Touko-chan. I also needed to think about things alone. You don't have to apologize for that."

She released a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. I thought you were mad at me and walked away. You know that I would never do anything to hurt your right, Tsukumo? You're very precious to me."

"Yeah, I know," he answered her. "You're also very dear to me too, Touko-chan."

The amber-haired girl smiled widely at him and leaned over to embrace him fully. "You're so sweet, otoutou-kun! I really do love you best, my otoutou-kun."

He pressed his forehead against hers and looked down gently at his sister. "And I love you too, Nee-san."

Touko closed her eyes in happiness as a warm pink dusted her cheeks at her brother's returning sentiment. Opening her eyes once more, their golden eyes held, both shining with adoration and promise to each other.

She then pulled away and looked at the box between them. She slowly untied the ribbon and lifted the cover. The two rings bathed in the moonlight.

Just as Tsukumo reached to take out his own, Touko immediately stopped him. "Wait, you should take mine. And I'll take yours. That way, we can put them on each other."

The part where 'like we always did in the past' was left unsaid.

Touko picked up the larger ring and held it at ready as Tsukumo grabbed her smaller one.

Carefully, Touko recited the old promise. The words rolled off her tongue instinctively. "I, Murasame Touko, swear upon my honor as a Zweilt that by this ring on your finger, you shall have my protection and trust until my last breath. I wield my power for our mission, for the Light of God, and for you. I accept you as my partner, Murasame Tsukumo."

Tsukumo watched as the ring slipped onto his right middle finger. He copied Touko's actions and reached for her left hand, slipping the ring to her forefinger. "I, Murasame Tsukumo, swear upon my honor as a Zweilt that by this ring on your finger, you shall have my protection and trust until my last breath. I wield my power for our mission, for the Light of God, and for you. I accept you as my partner, Murasame Touko."

The two rings seemed to glow in the moonlight, thus sealing their vows to each other.

**-.-**

Tsukumo almost fourteen and Touko was already fifteen when Takashiro-sama made the important announcement. There have been rumors of Yuki's whereabouts in Tokyo. Therefore, they were leaving Kamakura Estate to move into Twilight Hall with the other Zweilts, except for Kuroto and Senshiro. Senshiro still had to complete his Zweilt training and would not be able to leave Kamakura without Kuroto.

To say the least, Touko and the other female Zweilt Lia were very excited to move into their new home. Their new living quarters was a Victorian-style mansion hidden in a forest sealed away from the normal world. The place had a nostalgic feel to it. Not to mention another girl their age, Kureha Aya, was also living with them!

"It's a four-poster bed, Tsukumo," Touko gushed to her younger brother as she entered her room. The color theme was lavender, black, and white. She also had a small vanity and a walk-in closet. This type of luxury she only remembered in the past or from reading romance novels since Kamakura was more of a traditional estate.

"Mmhm, it's very comfy," Tsukumo commented as he tested the bed springs but sitting on it with a few bounces.

"And I can see the garden from my window!" The older sister exclaimed as she unlocked the window and opened it. The fresh spring breeze swept into the room and carried the floral scent of the garden below.

The silver haired teenager smiled. "I'm glad you like it, Touko-chan."

"Of course! And the bed is large enough if you want to sleep over!" Touko skipped back to the bed and sat down next to her sibling. She leaned against him and looked out of the open window. The sky was clear and a few wisps of clouds floated by.

After a momentary silence, Touko spoke up with a voice touched with sad wonder. "Do you think this peace will last, Tsukumo?"

"Touko-chan." Tsukumo could only frown at her tone. He did not like hearing her sadness. It just didn't suit her.

"I know it's selfish of me, and we should be happy that we're close to finding Yuki, but sometimes, I just wish that we didn't have to fight. I don't want to lose you," she told him woefully. Each time they fight, there was always a risk that one of them or both of them could lose their lives. Once their lives were forfeit, they would never ride the wheel of reincarnation ever again.

Tsukumo gathered her into his embrace and Touko welcomed it. "Me too."

She looked up at him through her ash bronze bangs and held up her right hand with the pinky stuck out. Her pleading voice made his heart clench sadly. "Promise me that we'll always have each other, Tsukumo."

Without any hesitation, he lifted his own right hand and hooked his pinky with hers. "Aa, I promise you, Touko-chan."

"You can't break it, okay?" she said hurriedly. "I will never forgive you if you do!"

He pressed their foreheads together so that their noses touched. With a gentle smile, Tsukumo said, "I'll always be with you, forever."

Finally convinced, Touko smiled in a return and wrapped him into an embrace. Pressing her ear to his heart, she murmured, "And I'll always be with you forever, too."

**-.-**

**AN:** And that leaves me to the start of the manga! I do love these two, and it makes me sad to realize that they've always been reincarnated as siblings. It only makes me wonder what their wishes were in their past lives. But that's another story.


End file.
